TNAG-1230-FCO40-1543-Visit-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Com-1983 — Page 121

FROM:

IVOR ROBERTS

DATE: 8 SEPTEMBER 1983

CC :

PS/MR LUCE

MR DONALD)

Mr Clift

11679

154 Mr. Morris

Hong Kong Department

Plspent from pinto nied

v. careful drafting.

MR LUCE'S RADIO INTERVIEW WITH MR MONTCOMERY OF RIHK

1.

\..

By arrangement Mr George Montgomery of Hong Kong telephoned today to list the

questions he would like to put to Mr Luce in the curtain-raiser I referred to in my telegram number 870 viz:-

i The purpose of the Minister's visit, including his programme and what he

hopes to achieve during his stay;

ii The confidential nature of the talks between us and the Chinese had given

rise to a great deal of speculation in Hong Kong. Could the Minister reiterate the need for confidentiality (I said that while I would be prepared to recommend that the Minister explain why the talks should be confidential, he would not say anything

Further about the talks or 'the future' in advance of his press conference on the

28th. This was understood, but we shall nevertheless need to be alert to any surrep- titious supplementaries);

iii The Minister's career and its relevance to Hong Kong, including his experience as a District Officer in Kenya;

My miv

Sep. 78

iv How much emphasis will the Minister be giving to grass roots opinion?

Mr Montgomery volunteered that this would enable the Minister to emphasise the contacts in his programme with the Unofficials and the District Boards.

2.

After consulting PS/Mr Luce, I told Mr Montgomery that we would try to find a suitable time towards the end of next week; his programme goes out on a Sunday and if he recorded just before the Minister departed on Monday, 19 September, the broadcast would not go out until after the Minister had arrived in Hong Kong. On reflection, and

if it were convenient to the Minister, this might not be a bad idea as otherwise to have

the broadcast go out nearly a week before his arrival would allow too much time for

pressure and interest to build up, in a way which would make an already difficult press

conference all the more awkward.

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